Why keep a logbook?

A logbook is something that every diver has from the moment they sign up for their first course. What does having all these records of temperature, depth, body of water we dive in, air consumption etc. really give us? What are the benefits for us of keeping our dive log meticulously?

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First of all, by diligently filling in the pages in our logbook, we will be able to easily follow our development and the progress we are making. However, this is not the only advantage. The more data we enter after each dive, the more conclusions we can draw during subsequent analysis.

In addition to data on the dive itself in the form of atmospheric conditions, temperature, visibility and site, it is also worth recording the equipment configuration you are using and a few sentences as a brief summary of the dive itself.

Thanks to such notes we can later easily determine, for example, the ideal amount of lead for a particular configuration, or precisely plan the course of the dive based on our air consumption. Knowing the temperature under water we can choose the right insulation for our body and avoid overcooling or overheating.

From the pages of our logbook we can easily recall what conditions are like in a place we haven’t visited for a long time. The type of bottom, the fauna and the flora found there will be subjected to a kind of observation, and over the years we will be able to see how the bodies of water we visit change. This will be useful not only for us, but also for our friends who want to visit the place for the first time.

And let us not forget such an important function of the logbook as documentation and at the same time confirmation of the experience we have acquired and the number of dives we have made. Yes, yes my dears. If you will be in a new place, you may be asked to present your experience before making a dive that requires certain skills. Your logbook is a treasure trove of knowledge in this regard as well. Besides, it’s always nice to go back in time and reminisce about “old times”. The pages of your logbook will then be like photographs for you.